Living through the Nightmare
by CRMGrimmi
Summary: Estonia and Latvia are worried about Lithuania, until Estonia finds his secret. A sequel to my 'A Nightmare I can't wake up from'. ONESHOT. -Old owner: Mod Grimmi New owner: Mod CRM


Living through the Nightmare

**I decided to make a one shot sequel to my first fanfic: 'A nightmare I can't wake up from', and it is dedicated to **_**Let-it-Lie**_**! Hope you all enjoy it!**

Estonia and Latvia didn't want to leave Lithuania alone with Russia, he was always limping when he came out of his office; and today, he had completely disappeared, so Russia was bound to be 'more than a little angry'. Latvia started whimpering.

"Crying won't do anything." Estonia said as he made the preparations for dinner, because he was sure that Lithuania would be in no condition to walk.

"I-I know, b-but I can't help w-w-worrying for L-Lithuania…" Latvia said quietly, tears running down his cheeks. Estonia knew how he felt. A yell, following by soft cries echoed through the house. Latvia shuddered and started crying completely. "I want to go home! I want this to stop!" he cried.

Estonia looked at his younger brother, and hugged him gently. The smaller country cried into his older brother's chest. "This will all end sooner or later, we just have to fight through it." Estonia murmured, stroking Latvia's hair soothingly. They could hear Lithuania crying out in pain. A whip must be involved, Estonia thought, but shook his head, tears coming to his own eyes. '_Don't think about it!_'

Later that evening Estonia was laying out the cutlery and plates on the table, when he heard the door to the dining room open. He expected to see Russia, so he turned round, but to his shock, he saw a battered looking Lithuania.

"Lithuania!" Estonia exclaimed rushing to his brother. Just before he reached him, Lithuania collapsed, sliding down the wall. Estonia lowered on one knee next to him. What should he do? Lithuania's jaw was bruising, and his face was tear strained. He looked weak, as if he was fading. Estonia pulled Lithuania up, making him stand. "Lithuania! Please wake up! I'll take you to your room."

"N…No…M-Mr…Russia told me…to be present for dinner…" Lithuania gasped out, clenching his jaw in pain. Estonia frowned. Damn that sadist; hadn't Lithuania gone through enough already?! The two younger Baltics were aware that Russia beat Lithuania often, but for some reason, only merely 'teased-tortured' the two younger Baltics, as they called it. Not enough to completely wound them, yet enough to scare them.

Estonia lead Lithuania to the table, helping Lithuania lean against it. The latter had his hands clenched in pain, his eyes opened to slits, the green in them all hazy. Russia came in, followed by Belarus and Ukraine, the only people who got no torture from Russia; Ukraine was just scared of him. Latvia rushed in, eyes widening at Lithuania's dishevelled form, and stood on the other side of the brown haired man. Belarus had her same look of disgust, and Ukraine looked frightened as always. Russia had that fake 'sweet' smile.

"Good, everyone is here. We shall eat now." He said. They all sat down, Lithuania jolting as he sat down from the pain. They all shared the soup Estonia and Latvia had made, but Lithuania couldn't swallow a mouthful. About halfway through the meal, Russia noticed this. "Lithuania, don't waste your food." He said in a cheerful voice, though he knew why he wasn't eating. Belarus sneered; she like it when her big brother scorned his favourite subordinate.

"I-I won't…" Lithuania murmured, but before he could do a single movement, he fell sideways unto the floor, unconscious.

"Lithuania!" Latvia and Estonia cried out, standing up and picking up their fainted brother.

"Hm, how amusing, he fainted." Russia cooed, as if this was normal. Estonia stop himself from glaring at him. "Anyway, Estonia, you make you he wakes up, da? Latvia, you stay here, you haven't finished eating."

The miniature country sat down obediently, but still shot a worried look at his brothers. Estonia picked up Lithuania, the latter's arm, around Estonia's shoulders, and Estonia supporting him by the waist. He walked to their shared room, laying Lithuania down on his stomach on his own bed. Estonia knew that the best thing to do was to patch him up. Estonia started undoing Lithuania's jacket and shirt, stripping him of them. He almost cried out in horror as he saw Lithuania's back.

To be honest, he had never seen Lithuania's torso. His older brother always seemed to protect himself from showing it to the others, as if hiding something. So this was it…Estonia grinded his teeth in anger. Old and new scars were crisscrossed on Lithuania's back, new wounds formed and bleeding. Estonia took the bandages and disinfecting liquid from the cabinet in their room. He poured some into a towel and started wiping Lithuania's back gently.

The green eyed country let out a cry, waking up, and whimpered. "Shhh, I'm sorry Lithuania, but I need to do this." Estonia soothed but this only stressed Lithuania up. He looked flustered and terrified, as if some secret had been discovered.

"No! Estonia! Don't look!" Lithuania yelled, scrambling away from Estonia, trying to cover himself. Estonia was shocked at the reaction, but pushed Lithuania down on the bed by his shoulders.

"Calm down Lithuania! I'm helping you, I'm your brother!" Estonia argued.

"Th-that makes it worse! Let go!" Lithuania retorted, sounding scared. Estonia frowned, and pinned him on the bed, holding his wrists.

"Lithuania!" he said angrily. The said country stopped all movement, and only trembled. "Lith…uania?" Estonia said again, gentler. He could hear sobbing. He gently turned Lithuania's body a little towards him. Lithuania wouldn't look at him.

"No…no…I didn't want you to see me like this…" he sobbed, his words sounding in pain. Estonia looked in his shook when he saw from what he could make out of Lithuania's face that tears were streaming down his cheeks, dripping unto the bed below him.

"Shhh, shhh, Lithuania, I'm just healing you. If I don't, your wounds will get infected." Estonia said, gently dabbing the wounds. Lithuania flinched and shuddered, sobbing. Estonia wrapped his back and torso in bandages, tying them tightly. "Done."

Lithuania dragged himself to a kneeling position on the bed, facing away from Estonia. "Thank you…" he whispered. Estonia said nothing.

"Come on, we need to get back downstairs." He instructed giving Lithuania a fresh shirt and jacket. He put them on gratefully, and wiped his face of his tears, following a waiting Estonia. They made their way back to the dining room, where Russia and the others were still finishing their meal. Lithuania, still pale and looking with a pain expression, sat next to Latvia again, and Estonia next to him. They both finished their meal in silence. At the end, Lithuania and Latvia cleared the plates. Ukraine ran out of the room quickly, while Belarus lingered, hoping Russia would suddenly propose to her; but that didn't happen of course, and she reluctantly went back to her room. Russia and Estonia were the only ones in the room now, Estonia clearing the table, and Russia just sitting there, smiling innocently. Not good…

As Estonia approached him to take away his glass, Russia grabbed his wrist. Estonia froze, but didn't dare make eye contact with Russia. "Estonia, what were my orders?" he asked darkly.

"T-To wake Lithuania up, sir…?" Estonia answered. Russia nodded.

"Good, then tell me, why did you bandage him?" he asked again, even more darkly.

"B-Because, if I-I didn't, his w-w-w-wounds would infect and he'd get a d-d-disease, sir." Estonia answered, sweat forming on his temples, and anxiousness gnawing at his gut. Russia smiled darkly.

"Yes, but you disobeyed me, did you not?" Russia whispered evilly, his face barely two inches from Estonia's face. He gulped.

"Y-Y-Y-Yes, sir…" he choked out. Russia smiled, let go of Estonia, and said nothing more. This left the latter a little hazy, before he grabbed everything and hurried to the kitchen. He found Lithuania cleaning up the dishes with Latvia silently. He joined them.

The Baltics made their way to their bedroom, but were stopped by Russia. He smiled intimidatingly at them. "Lithuania, my office, now." He said. Estonia's eyes widened. Was it because he had disobeyed his orders?

"No, please, Mr Russia! Lithuania has gone through enough today!" he argued before he could stop himself. Russia looked at Estonia with interest, but Lithuania looked terrified.

"Estonia, it's fine, don't bother, I probably did something wrong anyway…" Lithuania whispered hurriedly.

"Are you arguing with by orders, _Estonia_?" Russia asked darkly. Estonia shuddered at the evil edge in his voice, but kept his ground, and nodded.

"No! Mr Russia, please don't listen to him!" Lithuania gasped out, eyes looking horrified.

"Lithuania, Estonia is old enough to choose for himself, is he not? Estonia, either you can let Lithuania take your punishment, or you take it." Russia smiled, more threateningly than anything else. Estonia looked at Lithuania, who shook his head, in a 'don't do this to yourself' way, and looked pleadingly at him. Estonia looked at Russia, and lowered his head, not moving. That was enough. Lithuania's eyes started filling with tears.

"Good, Estonia, follow me." Russia said, walking to his office. Estonia followed him, but caught sight of Lithuania, who was crying quietly, Latvia soothing him. Russia entered his office, and Estonia closed the door after he entered. He just stood there, waiting for Russia. "Estonia, come closer." Russia ordered firmly, Estonia obeyed, standing right in front of Russia now, looking down. "Look up." Estonia obeyed again, looking at his 'master'.

Russia cupped his cheek in his hand, observing him, examining him. He dragged his hand from his cheek to his throat. "Estonia, you know, you are very foolish." Russia commented. Estonia didn't budge. "Lithuania and I had made a deal: If he took all the punishment, I'd spare you and Latvia. You broke that deal, and all his, ah, _work _has gone to waste." Estonia's eyes widened, but he made them return to normal.

"Th-then…make a deal with me: Let Lithuania and me take the punishment, and leave Latvia out of this." He choked out quietly. Russia narrowed his eyes, and smirked. He wrapped his hand around Estonia's throat loosely.

"Deal." He whispered, and pushed Estonia unto his empty desk. Estonia hadn't expected this, but didn't protest. Russia dragged his hand to his jacket, unbuttoning it one by one, and pushing his head against Estonia's smooth chest. Russia's eyes darkened from purple to indigo. "I'll make you feel what Lithuania feels."

Lithuania sobbed in his pillow. '_No, no, no, no, NO!_ _Estonia! No, not you too!_' he thought, sobbing hard, but quietly. The door creaked open, and Lithuania sat up quickly looking at Estonia. "Estonia!" he whispered. Estonia smiled to him, limping to Lithuania's bed. "You, absolute…idiot!" Lithuania whispered, more tears running down his cheeks. Estonia huffed, looking at Latvia, who was sleeping soundly.

"You can't talk, Lithuania." Estonia whispered back.

"I'm the older brother, it's my job to protect you!" Lithuania sobbed. "I've failed as country, as an ally and as a friend, and now as bog brother!" he hid his face behind his hands. Estonia watched Latvia some more. He now understood how Lithuania felt; the want to protect what is still pure.

"Don't be stupid. You haven't failed as anything." Estonia replied. "Right now, all I see is a broken down child who has given up." Lithuania sobbed some more. "Hey, Lithuania…" Estonia kissed him on the forehead. Lithuania froze.

He lowered his hands, and looked at Estonia. The latter gently touched Lithuania's lips. Estonia didn't know what he was doing, he just needed…warmth. Russia's body was so, so cold, such a hollowness and loneliness, that it froze your own heart into an ice cube. Estonia pressed himself against Lithuania, drinking in the soft warmth. Lithuania wrapped his arms around Estonia's shoulders. They pressed against each other, just accepting the warmth from each other. Lithuania answered to Estonia's loving touch, tears still running down his face.

Latvia whimpered in his sleep. "No…Lithuania…Estonia…" he mumbled in his sleep. The two older brothers pulled their lips away from the other's lips, and looked at their shivering brother. Warmth. That's what they needed. Estonia picked Latvia from his bed, and laid him down next to Lithuania. Estonia pushed his own bed against Lithuania's, dressed into his night clothes, and settled next to Latvia. The small country snuggled into Lithuania's chest and Estonia wrapped his arms around both of them.

It's difficult, but it's more difficult on your own. Estonia now knew how Lithuania felt, and they could help each other, and protect Latvia. They would fight through, eventually, all of this will end. This nightmare will end; they'll make it end

**OK, so not really an EstLith, but close enough for my first try! -_-" I hope it was alright! Please review! :3**


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